Local council ordered to apologise for allowing giant beach hut to be built

As beach huts go, it’s a little on the large side. The owners of more modest chalets on a stretch of Dorset coastline were a little cheesed off when this mini-mansion appeared in their midst boasting a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, lounge, running water and drainage.

Neighbours complained about the size of the millionaire’s monster-sized hut (Pic: BNPS)

Now the planners who allowed a millionaire to build it have been ticked off by a watchdog for a âgross errorâ.

Council officials gave businessman Simon Saunders permission to demolish and rebuild a 1930s timber chalet â but they only realised the replacement was twice the size when it was built.

Mr Saunders, who owns the Ariel Motor Company â which makes the Atom sports car â constructed the Â£235,000 building from oak and red cedar but at 8m-wide (26ft) it now dwarfs the 13 other huts it stands next to on a stretch of heritage coastline at West Bexington.

The new chalet is twice the size of the original and features a bedroom, kitchen and living room (Pic: BNPS)

Local government ombudsman Dr Jane Martin found West Dorset district council guilty of maladministration causing injustice and has ordered it to apologise to every complainant â and fork out Â£3,000 on âcountryside projectsâ to make amends.

John Aldred, 55, who lives nearby, feels the authority has been let off lightly. He said: âIt just does not fit in. I have heard people visiting saying they have come to see this unusual hut â it seems as if this once desolate piece of heritage coastline is now viewed as a bit of a joke. We cannot ever look at planning applications confidently again.â